Dawson Creek umpire among class of 2025 Softball BC Hall of Fame

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Softball BC Hall of Fame’s 2025 class will have a Peace region local among them.

Dawson Creek native Kelly Hunter is among four inductees for this year’s ceremony, which will occur alongside the Canada Cup softball tournament, according to a release from Softball BC.

Now living in Kamloops, Hunter said she entered the world of umpiring after disagreeing with officials’ calls during her playing days as a shortstop.

“I got angry at [the] umpires,” said Hunter. “I kept telling them if they took a couple [of] steps this way or ran a little bit, they would get a better view.

“One umpire turned around and said ‘well, if you can do better, we have a clinic next year.’”

Hunter attended that clinic and scaled the heights of the umpiring game. She earned a level five umpire certification in 2001, the highest domestic level.  

Just 12 months later, she earned her international certification in Florida.

“It was a five-day school where you umpired,” said Hunter.  “You went to classrooms and they evaluated you. If you get all the marks you get your international certification, and then from there, you get selected for an international tournament.”

The tournament Hunter was selected for was the 2003 Junior Women’s World Championship, won by Japan over the United States in Nanjing, China.

While evaluations took place, the highlight for Hunter was being selected for the gold medal contest. She described the moment after as “being on cloud nine.”

“It brings back memories,” said Hunter, fighting off tears. “[It was a] lot of hard work. A lot of sweat and tears. Calls back to my wife [about people] saying I wasn’t good enough.”

Her dedication to umpiring gave her the distinction of being just the second umpire from B.C. to be selected for the 2004 Olympic Games, serving as the third base umpire for the gold medal game.

She says part of umpiring at the highest level involves how one “acts as a team” and, unlike players in international competitions, umpires only get “one shot.”

“Usually, if you do a semi-final game, you don’t get to do the final game,” said Hunter. “I was [home] plate for the [Olympic] quarter-final. I did first base in the semi-finals. I thought my time was done. When they announced [umpires] for the final game, I was amazed. It was again all the hard work.”

Hunter has also served as an umpire-in-chief for Softball BC in the Thompson-Okanagan area, mentoring the next generation of umpires, including Kris Hartley.

Hartley will be at the induction ceremony on July 11th as well as Hunter’s wife Dawn Digby.

“You reflect back on your career and the sacrifices you [make to] get to where [you are],” said Hunter. “[But] then realize that not every umpire gets this opportunity.  

“We all sacrifice our families, [spend] time away from families, [miss] family outings. [I’m] just grateful that I get to be one of the ones chosen.”

Hunter will be inducted alongside players Erin White and Kristy Odamura and coach Kelly McGiffin.

The ceremony takes place on Friday, July 11th.